Bjørvika Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Bjørvika Tunnel is a motorway immersed tunnel on European Route E18
in the city center of Oslo
, Norway
. The tunnel has two bores, with three lanes in each. In the west, it connects to the Festning Tunnel
at Akershus Fortress
and runs under the Bjørvika
arm of the Oslofjord
before ending in an intersection on the east shore, where it will split into Mosseveien (E18) and the Ekeberg Tunnel (National Road 190). The tunnel is 1100 metres (3,608.9 ft) long, 675 meters of which run below sea level, and opened in September 2010. It was built by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration
The Bjørvika Tunnel is part of the Opera Tunnel complex which is the name of the interconnected system of tunnels between Ryen
and Filipstad
The tunnel is projected to cost , and is being financed through Oslo Package 1
, with part of the funding coming from the city's toll ring. The project includes an additional 8 kilometres (5 mi) of roads, 5.7 kilometres (3.5 mi) of pedestrian and cyle paths and 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) of bus lanes. The project will create a 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) continuous tunnel from Framnes (at the Kiel ferry terminal) to Ryen
. The connection with the Festning Tunnel will require a 100 metres (328.1 ft) sinking of the latter, and it will have a basement built under it.
The Bjørvika Tunnel will be the first immersed tunnel in Norway. The modules are built in Askøy
, and shipped for five days to reach Oslo. Each of the six modules is 112.5 metres (369.1 ft), 28 to 43 m (91.9 to 141.1 ft) wide and 10 metres (32.8 ft) high. Production started in 2005, and the final module was delivered in 2008. The need for an immersed tunnel was caused by the 50 metres (164 ft) of clay on top of the bedrock. To allow sufficient gradient for a conventional bedrock tunnel, the tunnel would have needed to be several kilometres longer.
European route E18
European route E18 runs from Craigavon in the United Kingdom to Saint Petersburg in Russia, passing through Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It is about 1,890 km in length.-United Kingdom:...
in the city center of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The tunnel has two bores, with three lanes in each. In the west, it connects to the Festning Tunnel
Festning Tunnel
The Festning Tunnel is a motorway tunnel on European Route E18 in the city center of Oslo, Norway. The tunnel has two tubes, with three lanes in each. It runs from Bjørvika, under Akershus Fortress, The City Hall Square and Vika to Filipstad. The tunnel is and elevation at the deepest.The tunnel...
at Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...
and runs under the Bjørvika
Bjørvika
Bjørvika is a neighborhood in the Sentrum borough of Oslo, Norway. The area is an inlet in the inner Oslofjord, situated between Gamlebyen and Akersness. It serves as an outlet for the river Akerselva. Since the 2000s, it has been undergoing urban redevelopment, being transformed from a container...
arm of the Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
before ending in an intersection on the east shore, where it will split into Mosseveien (E18) and the Ekeberg Tunnel (National Road 190). The tunnel is 1100 metres (3,608.9 ft) long, 675 meters of which run below sea level, and opened in September 2010. It was built by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration
Norwegian Public Roads Administration
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration is a Norwegian government agency responsible for the state and county public roads in the country. This includes planning, construction and operation of the state and county road networks, driver training and licensing, vehicle inspection and subsidies to...
The Bjørvika Tunnel is part of the Opera Tunnel complex which is the name of the interconnected system of tunnels between Ryen
Ryen
Ryen is a neighborhood in the borough Østensjø in Oslo, Norway. It is located north of the border to the borough Nordstrand.The area is served by the station Ryen of the Oslo T-bane. The eastern depot of the rapid transit system is located at Ryen. Until 1967, it was also served by Simensbråten of...
and Filipstad
Filipstad
Filipstad is a locality and the seat of Filipstad Municipality, Värmland County, Sweden with 6,177 inhabitants in 2005.Filipstad was granted city privileges in 1611 by Charles IX of Sweden, who named it after his son Duke Carl Philip .After a major fire destroyed forest and town in 1694, Filipstad...
Oslo Package 1
Oslo Package 1 was a political agreement and plan for introducing an urban toll ring around Oslo, Norway, and making 31 investments to road infrastructure in Oslo and Akershus. The package was approved in 1988, and toll charges were introduced in 1990. It was supplemented by Oslo Package 2, which...
, with part of the funding coming from the city's toll ring. The project includes an additional 8 kilometres (5 mi) of roads, 5.7 kilometres (3.5 mi) of pedestrian and cyle paths and 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) of bus lanes. The project will create a 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) continuous tunnel from Framnes (at the Kiel ferry terminal) to Ryen
Ryen
Ryen is a neighborhood in the borough Østensjø in Oslo, Norway. It is located north of the border to the borough Nordstrand.The area is served by the station Ryen of the Oslo T-bane. The eastern depot of the rapid transit system is located at Ryen. Until 1967, it was also served by Simensbråten of...
. The connection with the Festning Tunnel will require a 100 metres (328.1 ft) sinking of the latter, and it will have a basement built under it.
The Bjørvika Tunnel will be the first immersed tunnel in Norway. The modules are built in Askøy
Askøy
Askøy is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Since the opening of the Askøy Bridge leading to the mainland in Bergen in 1992, the population has increased rapidly. Its population growth is as of 2008 among the highest in Norway...
, and shipped for five days to reach Oslo. Each of the six modules is 112.5 metres (369.1 ft), 28 to 43 m (91.9 to 141.1 ft) wide and 10 metres (32.8 ft) high. Production started in 2005, and the final module was delivered in 2008. The need for an immersed tunnel was caused by the 50 metres (164 ft) of clay on top of the bedrock. To allow sufficient gradient for a conventional bedrock tunnel, the tunnel would have needed to be several kilometres longer.